LEADERS of the infamous Hypebeast group terrorizing school kids in Baguio City are now being monitored.
City Councilor Francisco Roberto Ortega VI said police and his committee are monitoring with profiling nearly done on the two leaders of the group.
“The members are getting younger, that is our primary concern,” said Ortega adding since the culprits are underage, jail time and fines are not applicable, giving police a harder time to curb the problem.
Ortega added there were six minors apprehended by police last week whom they turned over to the Office of The City Social Welfare.
Previously, Ortega has called on the Baguio City Police Office director Ramil Saculles, Federico Martin, Department of Education Baguio Schools Division Superintendent and Annie Marie Caguioa, president of the Association of Private Schools Administrators Baguio City Chapter to the local council to shed light on issues over the proliferation of Hypebeast members bullying city children.
Ortega said based on the investigation, Hypebeast members do random acts of bullying as part of their initiation rites.
The alderman, who chairs the committee on public protection and safety, peace and order approved the resolution Vice Mayor Edison Bilog during this week’s regular session urging the Department of Education Baguio Schools Division in coordination with the Baguio City Police Office and the Office of the City Social Welfare to immediately conduct assemblies with the parents of the students from private and public schools in the city to increase awareness on the prevalence of the Hypebeast groups and to come up with interventions.
Ortega said the parents play a key role in the curbing of the group.
The group has been likened to a gang terrorizing children in the city with reports of mauling and bullying at the Central Business District.
Initial profiling of police last month show there are 73 members of Hypebeasts from Baguio City High School while Pines City National High School has 49.
The group is known to frequent the areas of Insular Life area, the city hall flagpole, Mines View, Rose Garden, Camp John Hay and Panagbenga Park.
Ortega said there are more numbers added to the group with the investigation of the police ongoing.
Urban dictionary defines Hypebeast as “a kid that collect clothing, shoes, and accessories for the sole purpose of impressing others. Although the individual may not have a dime to their name they like to front like they are making far more than everybody else. Equipped with mommy’s credit card the Hype Beast will try his hardest to make sure he has every pair of Nike’s he saw Jay-Z wearing on 106 & Park."
Reports say the modus of the group targets victims who do not wear the same brand of clothing as they do.